Diagram of how radon can enter a home. (Family Action Network)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Breathing Easy

P.A. and area not immune to radon issue

Feb 13, 2020 | 4:51 PM

Saskatchewan has an issue with radon.

A study published in Scientific Reports found Saskatchewan and Alberta have some of the highest reported levels of the gas in the world. The study was put together by the group Evict Radon, which is made up of scientists working across a number of academic disciplines.

One of the researchers on the study was Dr. Aaron Goodarzi, a radiation biologist at the University of Calgary. Goodarzi explained the two western provinces share an unfortunate honour.

“If you compare our data to what was known about radon in the rest of earth, we came out as the second highest exposed, just after Poland,” he said.

The gas is a product of uranium in the soil breaking down. High levels of exposure can lead to lung cancer.

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Researchers were able to break down the Saskatchewan data by federal electoral district. For the study researchers used information provided to them in part by the Lung Association of Saskatchewan.

When looking at the district of Prince Albert, researchers found the minimum amount of radon being emitted was 15 becquerels per cubic metre of air while the highest was 840.

Goodarzi said researchers measure radon gas by becquerels, which is the number of particles being emitted per second.

“That is very simply the number of radioactive events per second per cubic metre of air,” he said.

In Battlefords/LIoydminister region, the minimum level found was 30, while the highest level found was 1,271 becquerels per cubic metre. In Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek, the data showed the lowest level was 15 and the highest was 1,394 becquerels per cubic metre.

Goodarzi said more work needs to be done in Saskatchewan, as researchers need not only more test results, but also details about the homes. Evict Radon is looking to do this by getting people to sign up to receive a testing kit. Participants will also be asked to provide details about their home.

“It’s significant, but we still have a long way to go,” he said.

According to Goodarzi, Health Canada recommends homeowners take steps to mitigate radon if levels are found to exceed 200 becquerels per cubic metre. Goodarzi said radon gas has become a health issue in the past 100 years. He added the problem can be traced to changes made over that time.

“We changed the way we built our houses … we have made the perfect radon capture and contain devices in the building we are building,” he said.

Moving forward Goodarzi said the issue can be dealt with because places with similar climates and conditions have been able to bring their levels down. He stressed it is especially important to deal with the issue as young kids are prone to health issues from the gas.

“Looking across the ocean to Scandinavia, we know we don’t need to have this issue,” he said.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn